Drive
by acsbabyangelgirl
Summary: Elliot's divorce is final. Now what? FINISHED
1. Chapter 1

****

Drive

A/n: Okay, anyone else sensing a pattern with my story titles? Not yet? Okay, well, it'll become obvious to The All American Rejects fans. Anyways, my second SVU fic, and this time it IS EO.

****

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Law & Order: SVU, nor do I own the characters I mention that are on the show. If I did, there would be lots of flying monkeys, Cassidy would still be on the SVU, and there would be more FEMALE detectives on the show.

"I signed the papers yesterday," Elliot said, not looking up. Olivia looked up at him.

"El, I'm sorry…"

"It isn't your fault. Kathy couldn't control her jealousy," he said, still not looking up. Olivia knew it was killing him to keep what he was feeling inside, but he'd never cry in front of the guys.

"C'mon. Let's go get some coffee," she said, standing up.

"We've got paperwork to finish. There's a coffee pot over there," he said , pointing in the exact opposite direction of the pot.

"Paperwork can wait. And that coffee tastes like mud anyway."

"I'm not ready to talk about it, okay? Some other time."

****

1234567890

Maureen looked over at her father, watching him eat. She'd come over to his apartment without her mother's knowledge, wanting to make sure he was okay. Despite the rough times they had had when she was younger, she loved her father. "I'm sorry, Dad."

"You're just like Olivia. You say that too much, even when it isn't your fault," he replied, not looking up at her.

"I know you weren't really with her. I tried to tell Mom, but she wouldn't listen," Maureen said, putting down her fork.

"Just eat, Maureen. We can talk about this later."

"Dad…"

"I don't want to talk about it, alright? Just let me deal with this, Maureen, okay?" he said. Maureen nodded and picked her fork back up. She finished eating, and then took her dishes into the kitchen, turning on the sink to wash up for him. He followed her a moment later, setting his own plate and fork next to the sink. "I'm sorry for yelling. I'm just not ready to have that discussion yet, okay?" He watched as Maureen washed the dishes, setting them in the drainer to dry after she'd rinsed them. "I love you, Maureen. I don't say it enough."

"You say it every time you see me, Dad. Just by the way you smile." (A/n: Don't you just love some father/daughter fluff?)

****

1234567890

Olivia stood outside Elliot's building, cursing herself for being so stupid. What had she been thinking, just showing up in front of his place? That's right, she hadn't been thinking. She'd been drinking. She wasn't sure why she bothered. She'd seen how hellish alcohol could make life. She'd seen it almost every night of her childhood. She'd slipped through a crack in the system, and to this day she could still see all of the bruises that had marked her as a victim.

"Olivia?" she heard. She looked around, spotting Maureen standing next to her.

"Hey Maureen," she said, forcing the fake smile she was so used to giving.

"He won't talk about it. Maybe he'll talk for you," she said, holding the building's door open just enough to keep it from locking Olivia out. Olivia took the hint and went in, immediately beginning to mentally kick herself for being such an idiot. He'd never talk, not to her. But she went up the stairs anyway, thinking that maybe talking to Maureen had helped some. She knocked on his door and waited, hoping he wouldn't slam it shut in her face. He opened it and looked out, not at all shocked to see her.

"Okay. Let's talk."

****

1234567890

Elliot relaxed in Olivia's arms, but still didn't stop crying. "I really thought I loved her. And now she's gone, I realized it was all just a big lie."

"It's okay, El. We all make mistakes some times."

"I missed out on nineteen years of my life because I thought Kathy was the one," he said, looking up at her. "I realized it six years ago, Liv. But I kept living that lie anyway. I wanted things to be the same, for the kids."

"You did what you had to, El. Your kids needed you," she said.

"I wasn't even around if they did. I was always with you." She heard him sigh. "I guess I can see why Kathy thought I was having an affair with you." He looked up into her eyes. "I wish that was the truth," he whispered, moving towards her face.

"El, no," she said, moving away from him. "It's too soon."

"You're right," he said, moving away from her. "Stay the night?"

"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

****

Drive

A/n: Hmm. Don't y'all get dirty minds on me now!

Olivia smiled, not sure why she felt so comfortable. She hadn't slept that well in a long time. She opened her eyes to the annoying sound of her cell phone, and grabbed it off of the bedside table. She knew it was hers by the ringtone. "Benson," she said, turning over to see who was in the bed beside her. Her eyes opened wide as she stared into the sleeping face of Elliot Stabler, her partner.

"I need you to testify in the McAllister case," Casey Novak told her, cutting right to the chase.

"What?"

"He didn't take the deal. I need you to testify against him next week in court," Casey repeated. Olivia sat up completely, still somewhat confused.

"What do you mean he didn't take the deal? He'll be massacred if it goes to trial!"

"His lawyer seems to think that they've found a scapegoat who can take the blame. He won't give me the details. You were the lead investigator, and you were the one he attacked. Please say you'll do it," Casey said. Olivia sighed.

"Keep the sick freak away from me and you've got yourself a deal."

"Good. I'll talk to you later, I have to call Stabler. Unfortunately, I need the both of you. Cragen can deal with it." Casey hung up and Olivia quickly shook Elliot awake.

"Casey is about to call you. Don't tell her I was here," she said. Elliot nodded, sitting up in the bed as Olivia picked up her badge and gun, throwing on her coat at the same time. "I've got to go. I'll see you at the station."

****

1234567890

Olivia walked in, precisely three minutes early. She'd been tempted to turn on her light on the way from Elliot's apartment to hers, but had decided against it. She'd managed to shower, change, and put on makeup in under twenty minutes. Unfortunately, being three minutes early had cost her her breakfast.

"Hungry?" Elliot asked, walking in with coffee and donuts.

"You read my mind." She gladly took one of the coffee cups and a donut from him. She took a sip of the coffee before biting into the jelly filled donut. "Thanks," she said, wiping a bit of strawberry filling off of her lip.

"Welcome," he said. Then he lowered his voice. "About last night…"

"You're welcome," she said. She knew it was still a painful topic for him, so she decided to let him get away with not talking, just this once.

"Benson, Stabler, in my office," Cragen called. They looked at each other uneasily before putting down their coffee and donuts and going into his office. "Close the door," he said, not looking up from the file open on his desk. Elliot did as he was told. "We have a problem. Olivia, do you remember a Carlos Gutierrez?"

"Yeah, I broke his nose after he tried to feel me up when I was in Homicide," Olivia said. "He got sent upstate for ten to twenty."

"He broke out. Apparently after making a pretty nasty threat on the life of a certain female officer," Cragen said, looking over at her. "I'm ordering a protective detail until he's captured."

"I don't want it."

"Olivia, you're off the street until we catch this guy, either way. Either you take the detail, or you're going to be suspended. I'm sick of having this argument with you."

"This is exactly what he wants, Captain!"

"I don't care. I'm not going to lose one of my best detectives because she's too stubborn to listen to orders! You're on desk duty, and that's final. The detail should be here within the hour." Olivia and Elliot watched as he sat down, their signal to go. Olivia walked out and threw herself down into her chair.

"It's for your own good," Elliot said.

"Shut the hell up, Stabler. Why would he do that to me?"

"Liv, you have been known to fly off the handle in this type of situation," Elliot said. She shot him a death glare. "Just listen this time, Liv. I don't have the energy to worry about you right now, too."

A/n: Hmm. What could THAT mean? I'm so damn evil!


	3. Chapter 3

****

Drive

A/n: I'm being a good girl and hurrying! J/K! I've had writer's block!

Elliot knocked on Liv's door, knowing full well that the Goon Squad would be there. He knew that, but he couldn't stay in that apartment alone anymore. He needed to talk to Liv. Munch and Fin were great and all, but they just didn't listen the way Olivia did. He smiled as one of the "Goonies," as his kids called them, answered the door. "Can I help you?" he asked. Elliot didn't recognize him, and realized that they must have switched officers after Olivia left the precinct.

"Yeah, mind if I see my partner?" Elliot asked, flashing his badge. The man nodded silently and let Elliot into the apartment. He figured she would be holed up in her room, feeling sorry for herself, so he walked to her bedroom door and knocked. "Liv, it's Elliot. Can I come in?" he asked. He heard footsteps and the sound of the door unlocking. He knew her well enough to know that that was the closest thing to an answer he would get. He quickly opened the door and went in, closing it behind him.

"What do you want, El?" she asked, sitting back down on her bed. He went over and sat down next to her.

"I was worried about you," he said. She leaned her head down on his shoulder, prompting him to wrap his arm around her in a fatherly way.

"I'm sick of it, Elliot. I'm sick of people looking down on me because I'm a woman," she said.

"Who looks down on you?"

"Every person I've ever sent to prison."

"Who gives a shit about what they think? What matters is what you think," he told her. Some times it was so hard for her. He knew it was because of how her childhood had been. She'd never had someone to tell her that she was perfect. Her mother was a drunk, and her father was a perverted son of a bitch. "No one who counts thinks that you're weaker, or inferior."

"Then why are you all so damn overprotective?" she asked. Elliot sighed.

"We care about you, Liv. You're like a little sister to all of us, and we don't want to see you get hurt," he said, pulling her closer to him. "We all love you, Liv."

"Think you could talk Cragen into loving me a little less?" she asked, smiling just a little.

"No way in hell."

****

1234567890

Elliot opened his eyes to the sound of his beeper going off. He looked around and grabbed it off of the pants he was still wearing. He looked down into his arms, shocked to realize that he was still at Olivia's apartment, and that it was seven in the morning. _Shit_, he thought, getting up and heading to the door. He knew the Goon Squad would still be out there.

"Goodnight, Detective," one muttered, facetiously. Elliot shot him a death glare and ran out to his car, praying that he had a spare change of clothes in his locker. Once he was inside, he called Cragen on his cell.

"You paged me?" he asked.

"Yeah, we've got a body. Central Park at 97th. I have a feeling that you and Olivia will want to get down there," he said.

"Olivia's on desk duty…"

"Get her and take her with you. Warner's been instructed to leave the body until the two of you get there." Elliot hung up the phone and went back into Olivia's building, taking the stairs two at a time. He knocked on the door again, and one of the Goon Squad let him back in.

****

1234567890

"What have we got?" Elliot asked, as he and Olivia entered the crime scene. The Goon Squad had orders to stay back.

"Male, approximately thirty years old, shot and sodomized. TOD, approximately two hours ago," Warner said, not looking up. Olivia looked down at the body; something seemed oddly familiar.

"It looks like a drug sale gone bad. He had coke and crystal meth in his pocket," an officer said, holding up the bags.

"Do we have a name?" Olivia asked. Warner looked up at her.

"Carlos Gutierrez."


	4. Chapter 4

****

Drive

"It doesn't fit," she muttered, under her breath. She was examining the evidence on the Gutierrez murder.

"What?"

"This. Nothing fits. None of this is right," she said, looking up at Elliot.

"What are you talking about? It's a drug sale gone bad. End of story."

"Gutierrez was a hit man for the drug lords, but he didn't sell drugs. Every time he's been arrested, he was clean. Now, when he's broken out of prison, he suddenly starts selling? It doesn't add up," she said.

"Maybe he got desperate, needed the money."

"He's got friends who would help him, especially knowing he wanted to get rid of a cop. I'm thinking one of his old buddies wanted him dead for some reason," Olivia told him.

"Whatever you think, this isn't our case," Cragen said, taking the file away from her. "I'm sending it down to homicide. We've already got more than we can handle as it is, and I don't want any of you involved in this one, especially considering the circumstances."

"So we're going to send something like this to another department, so it can go cold while they're fighting over who'll take it?" Olivia asked him.

"Yes, we are. And I need to talk to the two of you in my office," he said, looking at Elliot and Olivia. They followed him into his office and Elliot closed the door. "I heard about the other night."

"Captain, nothing happened. I didn't mean to fall asleep…" Elliot started.

"You don't have to explain it to me. But I don't want it to even seem like something is going on, understand? I've got two new detectives coming in an hour, and I'm putting them with the two of you for the time being. Anyone finds out about anything going on between the two of you, and it's permanent," he said, sitting down. "Elliot, I'm putting you with Melendez, and Olivia's with O'Kelley."

****

1234567890

Olivia looked up and saw the two new detectives walk in. One was female, and she looked like she was only a teenager, with the exception of her clothes. The other was male, about thirty years old. The woman had long, light blonde hair, and the man appeared to be Hispanic. "Can I help you?" she asked, not getting up from her desk.

"I'm Katharine O'Kelley. I was reassigned to this unit," she said. Olivia smiled.

"I'm Olivia Benson, your new partner. I would introduce you to everyone, but Munch and Fin are out working a case, and Stabler went for coffee," she said, standing up.

"There's a coffee pot over there," the guy said, eyebrow raised.

"And you'll be smart to stay away from it. Munch makes some weird crap that tastes like mud."

"I resent that," Munch said, walking up behind her.

"Have you ever actually tasted that coffee, John? Or do you just enjoy torturing the rest of us?" she asked.

"No, I'm just a masochist. I enjoy drinking bad coffee," he said sarcastically. "You will, however, be glad to know that we found the weapon in the John Doe murder."

"Where?" she asked.

"Strangely enough, it was exactly where we found the body," Fin told her. She looked over and saw him sitting at his desk.

"What are you talking about? You guys went over that crime scene a dozen times yesterday," she said.

"Yeah, but our perp obviously decided to return the gun to the scene."

"Anybody see anything?"

"Nothing but some kids playing football. None of them had a clue where it came from," Munch said.

****

1234567890

Olivia opened the door and let him in without a word. It wasn't until the door was closed that she even looked at him. "You really shouldn't be here," she said.

"And if you want me to leave, all you have to do is say so," Elliot told her. He gently grasped her wrist and pulled her over to him.

"I don't want you to go," she whispered.

"Then I'll stay," he said, letting go of her wrist. He gently wrapped his arms around her waist. "Thank you, Olivia. For everything."


	5. Chapter 5

****

Drive

Olivia smiled, although she was still half asleep. _A girl could get used to this_, she thought.

"Morning," Elliot whispered. Olivia opened her eyes.

"Morning to you, too," she said, turning around to face him. "You'd better get going. We have to be in court today." She sat up and got out of the bed, walking towards the bathroom. Elliot followed her a moment later, and put his arm around her waist. He gently leaned over and kissed the side of her neck as she brushed her teeth.

"Come over tonight after work. I'll cook you dinner," he said. Olivia nodded and he kissed her cheek before leaving. Once he was gone, she got into the shower and quickly washed her hair.

****

1234567890

"Detective Benson, you said you were alone with the defendant when this happened, is that correct?" the defense attorney asked.

"Yes."

"Where was your partner?" he asked. He stood right in front of the jury, looking at her expectantly.

"Detective Stabler was outside, speaking to our captain about a new piece of evidence he'd just received," Olivia told him. He smiled.

"So they left you alone with a man nearly twice your size?"

"I wouldn't say that the defendant is twice my size, but yes, they did leave me alone with him."

"Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

"No more so than any other time it has happened," Olivia said.

"This was not the first time?"

"No, it was not. It was not the first time I've been attacked by a suspect, either."

"If it's happened before, why were you allowed to be in the interrogation room alone with the defendant?"

"You can't leave a suspect alone in an interrogation room. The Special Victims Unit is shorthanded to begin with. There wasn't anyone else," she said.

****

1234567890

"I swear I wish I could kick his ass," Olivia muttered.

"You had to tell the truth, Liv. If the jury thinks it isn't his fault, they're idiots," Elliot told her.

"He tried to blame you, El! How can you be so damn calm about it?"

"Liv, I don't care if he blames me. You don't blame me, and neither does the captain. That's all that matters," Elliot said.

"I'm sick of it, El. They're always trying to lay the blame on something we did wrong. We follow standard procedure, and they still find some way to say it was our faults. I'm just so fucking sick of it!"

"I understand, Liv. Just don't let them get to you, babe. You did what you had to do. You told the truth. Whatever happens now, it doesn't matter. You can't control what happens next, so just don't worry about it," he said. He pulled her close to him for a moment, and then let go. She stood back up and smiled. "You okay now?"

"Yeah. We'd better get back before Melendez and O'Kelley drive Munch and Fin up the wall," Olivia said. "On second thought, reverse the names."

****

1234567890

"How'd it go?"

"I'm not getting my hopes up. He won't get more than a rape conviction, if even that," Olivia said. O'Kelley looked up from the paperwork she was doing.

"That bad, huh?"

"His attorney tried to say that it was my own fault for staying in there with him, alone. Anyone who knows anything about police procedure would know that someone has to stay in an interrogation room with a suspect at all times. Of course, probably none of the jurors know anything about standard procedure," Olivia said. She sat down at her own desk and picked up a file. As she scanned it, she noticed it was already filled in with neat handwriting.

"I hope you don't mind. I got bored, so I started working on some of the paperwork on your desk. I didn't know everything, though, so some of it's still blank," Katherine told her. Olivia looked up.

"Mind? You just made my day," Olivia told her.

A/n: Okay, so I hurried up and wrote this one. Kinda just a little EO fluff and some filler, but it'll get better. And I'll get to the point of this story soon, I promise!


	6. Chapter 6

****

Drive

Olivia looked up at Cragen as he walked out of his office, praying that he wasn't bringing out a new case. She was catching, and if it was a new case she and Katherine would be there most of the night. "Olivia, I need to speak with you," he said. She sighed, standing up and walking into the captain's office. "Shut the door." She obliged. "How is O'Kelley doing?"

"She's good. I think she's going to stick it out for a long time. It certainly doesn't scare her," Olivia said. Cragen nodded.

"Good. Melendez just resigned. He couldn't take it, says we're too cold," Cragen told her. "I should have switched things around more, not put him with Elliot. He can be a little intimidating some times."

"I don't mean to be rude, but what is this about?" she asked. Cragen sighed.

"I'm putting you and Elliot back together. They're not sending us anyone else, so until they do, I have no partner for O'Kelley. No one else wants to be in this unit," he told her.

"How are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know. It's rare to get a detective who can handle our cases, and now I have one, but I can't put her on the streets without a partner." He looked down at his hands. "I know you and Brian Cassidy didn't get along very well, which is what I wanted to talk to you about. He's offered to come back temporarily, just until we can find someone to replace Melendez. Do you think you can work with him?" Olivia nodded.

"Yeah, we can work it out," she said. Cragen smiled.

"Good. Can you tell O'Kelley I need to see her?" he asked. Olivia nodded and stood up. She opened the door and walked out.

"You aren't in trouble, are you?" O'Kelley asked.

"No, but he wants to see you," she said. Katherine looked at her, eyes wide. "Don't worry, Kat. You aren't, either," she said, smiling.

****

1234567890

Elliot opened the door and let Olivia in. "Melendez quit on me," he said.

"I heard. I also heard who your new partner is going to be," she said, smiling as she kissed him.

"Who?"

"Me." Elliot smiled and kissed her back. "But you know we'll have to keep this quiet."

"I know. And I'm okay with that. You're worth it," he said, kissing her again. "I'd better get back to our dinner before it burns," he said, pulling away from her. "Make yourself at home." He returned to the kitchen and Liv sat down on the couch, watching the TV that was already on. A few minutes later, she heard a knock on the door. "Could you get that?"

"Sure El," she said, getting up from his couch. She unlocked the door and opened it, only to find Kathy standing there. "Kathy, hi."

"I should have known you'd be here," the blonde haired woman spat. She shoved a box into Olivia's arms. "Tell Elliot that I hope he's happy." Kathy walked away, leaving Olivia shocked, still standing in the door. She finally managed to compose herself enough to close the door.

"Who was that?" Elliot asked as she walked into the kitchen, still holding the box.

"Kathy. She left this," Olivia told him, thinking it best not to pass on Kathy's message. Elliot looked down into the box.

"Did she say anything to you?"

"Just that she should have known I would be here. And to tell you she hopes you're happy," Olivia said. Something told her it wasn't a good idea to lie to him.

"Were the kids with her?"

"No, I didn't see them."

"Shit," he said, throwing down the fork he'd been holding. Olivia just stood there, shocked at his outburst. "I'm sorry. It's not you, Liv. Kathy's just so damn set on pissing me off right now," he started. Olivia nodded.

"It's okay. Just calm down, El." Elliot turned to her.

"She's been doing this ever since we got separated. She'll just show up at random times, like she wants to find me with you. Just so that she can justify the divorce. I just don't want to know what's going to happen now that she has," Elliot said.

****

1234567890

Olivia walked down the aisle, looking for bread. She wasn't used to this supermarket; she'd only stopped because it was on the way from Elliot's. If it wasn't for the fact that her kitchen was completely empty of food, she wouldn't have stopped at all.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she heard. Olivia looked up to see Kathy and Maureen walking towards her. The comment had obviously come from Kathy.

"I'm shopping."

"You slut," Kathy said, lunging at her. Olivia didn't have time to react and was pushed into the shelf she was standing next to. She winced as her head hit the edge of a shelf, but forced her arms up in an attempt to protect herself. She could hear Maureen screaming at her mother to stop, but Kathy was pissed and she wasn't about to get off. Two bag boys had to pry the woman away.

A/n: Uh-oh! Hmm, I wonder what'll happen next? Review and you'll find out!


	7. Chapter 7

****

Drive

A/n: Yay! Number seven!

Elliot walked into the emergency room, wondering what in the hell Kathy'd done. Maureen had been pretty vague about the details over the phone, and he wasn't looking forward to seeing what had happened. "I'm looking for Olivia Benson," he said, walking up to a nurse. The woman pointed to a room across the hall; Elliot thanked her and went in.

Maureen immediately rushed over to her father. "Daddy," she said, burying her face in his chest. He let her hug him for a moment before forcing her to look up at him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We ran into Liv at the grocery store. Mom just flipped out, I didn't know what to do…" she couldn't finish her sentence.

"Is she okay?" he asked. Maureen nodded and let go of him so that he could see Olivia. He walked over to the bed and gently kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You haven't done anything," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you, Liv. More than you know."

THE END

A/n: Okay, I know it's insanely short. But there is a sequel coming soon, I promise! And I'll make it good!


End file.
